Filling our hearts with Christmas cheer (or more likely, jeer), This Christmas is a drama about six siblings returning home for the holidays.
Writer/ director Whitmore II unites a busy ensemble cast from Delroy Lindo to R ’n’ B star Chris Brown, and then lands them with the sort of seasonal family friction we all love to hate. With its made-for-TV plot twists, it’s the film equivalent of the macaroni and cheese that matriarch Ma Dear (Loretta Devine) prepares for her offspring - comfort food that’s not terribly good for you.
Redeeming features are the funky soundtrack, and the fact that the film is set in the warm climes of LA, avoiding the usual snow-at-Christmas backdrop. One to watch with mother.